Review: Warren, Fogarty prove ‘Tennessee Sounds Better, Better’

Thursday

May 2, 2013 at 8:48 PMMay 2, 2013 at 8:53 PM

“Tennessee sounds good to me” was the theme chosen by Maestro Dan Allcott for the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association this season. After Saturday night’s exceptional display of talent, surely he will not mind us upgrading to “Tennessee Sounds Better and Better.”

by Becky Ball/Special to The Oak Ridger

“Tennessee sounds good to me” was the theme chosen by Maestro Dan Allcott for the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association this season. After Saturday night’s exceptional display of talent, surely he will not mind us upgrading to “Tennessee Sounds Better and Better.”

Speaking of first class, the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra signed off its season at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center with a whopper of a winning program. The program unveiled two more Tennessee superstars (Nashville soprano Sabrina Laney Warren and Nashville composer Rachel Devore Fogarty). It revived James Agee’s hauntingly reflective “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” set to music by Samuel Barber.

It featured a knockout performance of Sibelius’ 2nd symphony by our own prized orchestra, and it cemented the awesome reputation Allcott has earned as ORCMA director and ORSO conductor.

When Sabrina Warren walked on stage and positioned herself for singing, she did so with such grace and poise one knew to expect confidence. One also expected devotion to the Spoon River anthology score written for her by her best friend Rachel Fogarty. But even that knowledge didn’t prepare us for Warren’s consummate artistry. Her notes were beautifully nuanced, and her soprano tessitura had a floating kind of beauty that seemed so blissfully effortless.

With clear intonation and diction, she commanded Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River lyrics discerningly, capturing every virtue or wart of the six diverse characters she was representing in song.

It was a rare pleasure to hear Warren sing all from memory and a pleasure to note the ease in which she soared to the high notes and then plunged into resonant low notes. And after she had committed vocally and emotionally to Agee’s lyrics (Barber’s “Knoxville Summer of 1915”), she had the audience completely in her thrall.

Praise be to new young composers. Fogarty, formerly of Kingston, was on hand to receive a well-earned ovation for her marvelous score to the Spoon River anthology. Her instrumentations were clever, original and oh so descriptive of the lyrics.

She has a rare talent for program music. Sometimes it was just a shift in rhythm or a solo instrument popping out of the mix that created moods — dark, sassy, dreamy, lighthearted and dramatic — but make no mistake, her accompaniments to the six songs have as much personality as the lyrics, and that’s without facial expressions.

Fogarty uses the harp deliciously in her score. It was a pleasure to give Fogarty and Warren their due standing ovation.

For the Fogarty and Barber numbers, the orchestra was rich and alive in every instrumental line. Much more than orchestral backdrops, there were high quality instrumental solos and a constant array of full-orchestra sonorities.

Allcott’s sure hand at conducting never lets the music rush him or slow him down. He is always in command and whatever speed or dynamic he chooses seems just right. We also like the elasticity of his phrasings. There were moments, however, when he failed to restrain the orchestra during Warren’s quieter songs.

That negative will go right to the dead letter box once I mention the name Sibelius, because Sibelius Symphony No. 2 brought the house down. Like the eruption of the wide variety of colorful blossoms outside, the auditorium erupted in colorful notes from Sibelius’ masterful orchestration.

The voice of Finland, Sibelius’ inspiration came from the history, legends and landscapes of his native land. Think dark pine forests and a thousand icy crystal lakes. Think wind and weather, and electricity. Think theatrical, emotional, powerful climactic surges and overpowering impacts. Think duets of bassoons and flutes. Think high voltage timpani and drum parts. Think exultant proclamations. And, oh yeah, what about all those intriguing little pauses that warm the cockles of an analytical heart?

All of the above was there and how great it was to hear a full woodwind and brass section again. We salute all who blew exotic sonorities our way. How great it was to hear a driving, joyous momentum from the superb string section.

We bow!

How great it was to hear the exciting rhythmic pulse of the timpanist and drummers.

We tip our hat.

The orchestra’s wonderful eruptions of energy and the maestro’s masterfully controlled crescendos were electrifying. The whoops and hollers from the audience were several decibels louder than the early season ovations. Just think what might be in store for us next season.